Bookending Autumn is a quarterly event, running under the umbrella term “Bookend Events," aspiring to bring the book blogging community closer together! Bookending Autumn has a theme of fall/autumn and all things Halloween, but you DO NOT need to stick to this theme at all!

If you're curious about this event, here is a link to the announcement post.

The theme for the first day of Bookending Autumn is Sweater Weather!

The most basic of prompts for Day 1! It’s officially sweater weather, so break out those cardigans from the back of your closet. Name some books that make you feel warm and cozy, like a nice sweater in the fall.

I'm probably thinking too hard about this, but I don't know what a warm and cozy feeling from a book is so I am just picking books that give me a warm and FUZZY feeling. Which is basically just another way to say I'm listing some books that are my favorites in some way!

Well Met by Jen DeLuca

Goodreads

At the point of writing this post, Well Met was the most recent book that I read and I absolutely ADORED it. I'm not sure why exactly I loved it so much, but I did. It is definitely my favorite romance novel (let's just ignore the fact that I haven't read very many, hahahaha). I would die for Simon Graham.

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Goodreads

If we're going by books that make me feel warm and fuzzy inside, can I really NOT include The Darkest Minds? My favorite book and series ever? I mean, at this point, it can probably just go without saying, but if I can convince someone new to my blog to read this series, the repetitiveness is worth it. :)

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Goodreads

Delirium is the book that got me to be an avid reader. It's the first series I ever remember going hard on and binging like a boss. I was ready to leave my house at 2 am to go to Walmart to buy Pandemonium after binging this book. Requiem was the first book I ever preordered. It arrived a day early and I binged that one as fast as I could so I could say that I read it before the rest of the plebs could. It's the first time I ever remember being SO disappointed by the end of a series and the series that made me realize that I hate open endings. But I love it. I kinda want to do a reread of this series, but I'm terrified that I won't like it as much.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Goodreads

I am including this one because Beauty and the Beast is my all time favorite Disney movie and I think that this book is probably my favorite retelling of it. Which is funny because when I picked it up, I really didn't think I was actually going to like it. I am SO ready for A Heart So Fierce and Broken! 

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time by Akira Himekawa

Goodreads

This year I have really gotten into reading mangas, so I think it would be fitting to include a manga! And The Legend of Zelda is my all time favorite game franchise (and almost the only game franchise I even bother to play). AND before Breath of the Wild came out, Ocarina of Time was my favorite Zelda game so this particular manga was really fitting to include in this list. If you know the storyline of any of the games that have a manga, you really won't get a whole lot of new information from this, but the mangas give Link a personality, which I loved.

But I will THROW my money at Akira Himekawa if she ever comes out with a Breath of the Wild manga series. That game is my jam.

What are some books that make you feel warm and cozy like a fuzzy fall sweater?

Review // The Darkest Legacy by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Legacy by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds #4

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date: July 31st, 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Source: Alexandra Bracken

Format: Physical ARC

Add it on Goodreads!

Summary (from Goodreads):

Five years after the destruction of the so-called rehabilitation camps that imprisoned her and countless other Psi kids, seventeen-year-old Suzume "Zu" Kimura has assumed the role of spokesperson for the interim government, fighting for the rights of Psi kids against a growing tide of misinformation and prejudice. But when she is accused of committing a horrifying act, she is forced to go on the run once more in order to stay alive.

Determined to clear her name, Zu finds herself in an uncomfortable alliance with Roman and Priyanka, two mysterious Psi who could either help her prove her innocence or betray her before she gets the chance. But as they travel in search of safety and answers, and Zu grows closer to the people she knows she shouldn't trust, they uncover even darker things roiling beneath the veneer of the country's recovery. With her future-and the future of all Psi-on the line, Zu must use her powerful voice to fight back against forces that seek to drive the Psi into the shadows and save the friends who were once her protectors.

From #1 New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Bracken comes a harrowing story of resilience, resistance, and reckoning that will thrill loyal fans and new readers alike.

So, I don't think this will come as a surprise to any of my regular blog followers, but The Darkest Legacy by Alexandra Bracken was my most anticipated book of 2018. It was made even more exciting by the fact that it was the first Darkest Minds novel that I got to look forward to because I originally discovered the series after In the Afterlight came out.

It absolutely lived up to the hype I gave it! I absolutely adored this book. I adored Zu. I adored the new characters that we get to follow. I pretty much loved everything about it. :')

I don't want to give too much of this book away because Alex has said that she believes that this book is better to go into not knowing TOO much. So to give a super brief summary of the plot: The Darkest Legacy follows Zu, five years after the events of In the Afterlight, where she is basically a spokesperson for the government, speaking on behalf of her fellow Psi. At one of her scheduled speeches, something awful happens that she ends up being framed for and she has to go out and try to clear her name with the help of a couple new characters.

I think it's safe to say that there is a bigger picture here, but you're going to have to read it to find out what it is.

I think that the best way to do this review is to talk about what I liked and what I didn't like.

What I Liked:

I loved Zu as a protagonist. I love that she is using her voice after spending 90% of the trilogy being afraid to speak. I loved that you can see bits and pieces of the other characters in her after they spent so long being each other's family. I love that there are points in this book where she doesn't pretend to be fine when she's not.

I feel like that's something you see a lot. A character is asked if they're okay when there is something bothering them and they said that they're fine. But Zu came out and said she wasn't really fine on several occasions and that was something that I liked seeing. It's okay to not be okay.

I also loved the new characters that we meet, Roman and Priyanka. Roman definitely gives Liam a run for his money for being so soft and just generally perfect.

Priyanka reminds me a lot of Vida. At the beginning I wasn't sure if I was going to like her because I was like, "She's not beiNG NICE TO ZU." But I loved Priyanka, she has a lot of attitude like Vida, but is a little bit less.... vicious?? I don't know what the best word I'm looking for is here, but I loved her.

I loved seeing the new characters interact with Zu. I liked seeing how they dealt with each other when they didn't trust each other, but even though it took them awhile to warm up to each other and trust each other fully, they were always kind of there for each other and helping each other and I loved their friendship. Lol, how many times can I get "each other" into one sentence??

I looooved the romance. The romance is definitely not a big thing in the book, it's very similar to how the romance went in The Darkest Minds. It's so slow and sweet and I. Loved. It.

I loved seeing what the world was like for psi kids this long after the camp closures. Seeing what may have gotten better, what may have gotten worse, what new problems they were having all together. I just generally love this world that Alex Bracken has created and I could read book after book after book that takes place in it.

I loved seeing what the original cast of characters was up to! It would be good to keep in mind when you're reading this book that this is not like The Darkest Minds 2.0. This book doesn't follow the same characters. Your favorites from the original books are still super important to Zu, but they're not necessarily as important to this story. I feel like if I hadn't seen something like this from Alex, I might have been disappointed about the lack of my favorite original characters, but since I knew to expect this, I was probably able to enjoy the book more. So if you're reading this review before reading the book, you should keep that in mind!

What I didn't like:

There really isn't anything that I didn't like about this book. If I were going to make a complaint though, I would say that I think the ending was rushed. When I was starting to get close to the end I was thinking there was no way this story could get resolved in so few pages.

It does get resolved, but there is a bit of a time jump and then they're in the middle of the op that is how they resolve the current problems. I would have liked to know how they got from point A to point B with a little bit more detail. And then there is one burning question that I have about something at the end.

But this book definitely ends in the same way as In the Afterlight. The story is resolved, but the problems for the psi don't end there. There is definitely room for more stories in this world. Which, the ending isn't a complaint about the book, I'm glad that it ended like that so that I can hope for more books in this world.

I guess I might deduct half a star for the ending being a bit rushed, but I felt like it was resolved satisfactorily in such a short amount of time and I'm gonna bump it up to five stars anyway because I'm just so impressed with this book.

Overall, I adored this book. I am so glad that this book lived up to the hype I gave it. If you liked The Darkest Minds series, you obviously need to read this. And if you haven't read the series, but you like  books about kids fighting against the government, you should definitely read this series.

Have you read The Darkest Minds series? Are you looking forward to this book?

Unofficial, Last Minute Darkest Minds Read Along

Hello everybody! You may have seen that yesterday I tweeted asking if anyone was interested in reading The Darkest Minds with me soon. There seemed to be a few people interested (like four people) and I also know of a few people who want to read it (*cough*LaLa*cough*). So I just decided that I would throw together this really laid-back, last minute read along!

Okay, so I literally just decided to do this today and this is my plan at this point in time...

May will be reading The Darkest Minds, as well as:

1. The exclusive Liam short story that is featured in the new cover paperback of The Darkest Minds.

2. The IN TIME novella.

3. Liam's Story (the preorder incentive for Passenger, but I do believe that it was made widely available for everyone now).

So, the schedule, should you choose to follow one, is:

May 1st - 7th:

Chapters 1-10

(~162 pages)

May 8th - 14th:

Chapters 11-20

(~162 pages)

May 15th - 21st:

Chapters 21-31

(~162 pages)

May 22nd - 31st:

IN TIME

(~93 pages)

Exclusive Liam Short Story

(??)

Preorder Incentive Liam Story

(??)

You obviously don't have to follow this schedule. You are totally free to read at your own pace. I just thought it would be fun for people who like to discuss what they read with others. So I might also see if there is any interest in like, group DMs on Twitter or something.

///

So then in June we would be reading Never Fade and I'm thinking that the schedule will be:

June 1st - 7th:

Chapters 1-10

(~185 pages)

June 8th - 14th:

Chapters 11-20

(~133 pages)

June 15th - 21st:

Chapters 21 - 32

(~187 pages)

June 22nd - 30th:

SPARKS RISE

(~116 pages)

Exclusive Vida Short Story

(??)

///

In July we would be reading In the Afterlight, with a schedule of:

July 1st - 7th:

Chapters 1-9

(~192 pages)

July 8th - 14th:

Chapters 10-18

(~192 pages)

July 15th - 21st:

Chapters 19-27

(~149 pages)

July 22nd - 29th:

BEYOND THE NIGHT

(~183 pages)

Exclusive Clancy Short Story

(??)

///

Then we will be at the release of THE DARKEST LEGACY!!! I don't know how many chapters will be in this one so I don't have a schedule at this time. I know I probably will not be following a schedule because I am going to DEVOUR it before anyone can spoil it for me. But when I have the appropriate information, I will add it here for anyone who wishes to continue on in a similar fashion to the other books.

///

I am also thinking that I will be doing a giveaway. I am not 100% sure what it's going to be at this point. I was thinking the forthcoming box set of the new cover paperbacks and a hardcover of The Darkest Legacy. But I don't know yet. I am not set on that. I know that whatever I will do will be open internationally, I just don't know if the prize will be so elaborate. We shall see.

///

So, there's that if anyone is interested in reading along with me. I think it turns out to be about 20-30 pages per day! I hope that's doable!

So basically, this is what I'll be doing for the next few months. I hope that you'll join me!

If you have any suggestions to make this more fun (if anyone even joins), I am definitely open to ideas!

Will you be joining me?!

Waiting on Wednesday // The Darkest Legacy by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Legacy by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds #4

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date: July 31st, 2018

Add it on Goodreads!

Summary (from Goodreads):

Don't miss the hotly-anticipated new novel in the New York Times bestselling Darkest Minds series by Alexandra Bracken, just in time for the major motion picture adaptation of The Darkest Minds, starring Amandla Stenberg and Mandy Moore! Told through the eyes of beloved character Zu, now seventeen, this harrowing, standalone story of resilience, resistance, and reckoning will thrill loyal fans and new readers alike.

So, that really isn't much of a summary, is it? I read a better one somewhere online, but I can't remember where I saw it. But what I know about this book is that it takes place 5 years after the events of In the Afterlight and is told from Zu's point of view. And we obviously get to see all of our old faves, but the main trio in this book is Zu and her new friends Roman and Priyanka.

From what I have seen, Priyanka is definitely gay and also brown.

That is about all I know about this book, but HOLY AM I EVER WAITING FOR IT EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK.

What books are you guys looking forward to this week? Are you excited about this new installment to the Darkest Minds series?!

Mini Reviews: Liam's Story & Beyond the Night by Alexandra Bracken

Beyond the Night by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds 3.5

Part of the novella bind up, Through the Dark

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date: October 6th, 2015

Rating: 4 Stars

Source: Purchase

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 183

Add it on Goodreads!

Summary (from Goodreads):

The government-run "rehabilitation camps" have been shut down, but kids with Psi powers are anything but free. Sam would rather be on her own than put in the care of a foster family and given the "cure"--a dangerous procedure that unclaimed kids across the country are being forced to undergo. But there's more at stake than just her own safety. Sam once made someone a promise, and the time has come to fulfill it. Now that she's out of her camp, Mia only has one thought in her head: finding Lucas, her beloved older brother.

Beyond the Night takes place after the events of In the Afterlight. Rehabilitation camps are a thing of the past. Many kids are reunited with their families. But while camps, PSFs, and skip tracers aren't problems anymore, this new reality has a new set of challenges for psi kids.

This novella primarily follows Sam and Mia on their journey to try to get Lucas back to himself after his traumatic Red training.

Sam is so different in this novella than she was in the rest of the series. Granted, I don't remember Sparks Rise that well, I'm pretty sure that she's a lot more reserved in this one. It's like her and Ruby switched places. She is no longer the confident, unafraid girl who stuck up for Ruby in Thurmond. It's Ruby's turn to be brave for Sam.

Mia is a new character in the series. She is Lucas's little sister. Sam and Lucas were going to find her when their Thurmond escape failed. She is fierce throughout the whole novella. In the beginning she also seems to be pretty angry. She blames Sam for what happened to Lucas in Thurmond. She eventually works through her feelings and her and Sam become friends again.

This novella gives us insight into the world of The Darkest Minds after the camps end. It has a lot of the same elements as the rest of the series. First of all, our favorite crew makes an appearance. There's road trips, running from government officials and people looking to sell psi kids for profit. There are moments that will break your little heart, but it ends on a hopeful note.

Overall, if you have read this series, but not the novellas, you really need to. They give you a lot of insight into things that happen between books. Now that I've finally finished the last Darkest Minds novella, I feel like I need to start over and reread ALL of it in order.

---

Liam's Story by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds 1.6

Received for preordering Passenger

I think you can still get it if you sign up for her newsletter??

Rating: 4 Stars

Source: Preorder Prize

Format: eBook

Pages: 49

Add it on Goodreads!

Liam's Story takes place right after the ending of The Darkest Minds. Liam finds himself alone and slightly confused. He has gaps in his memory and a nagging feeling that he shouldn't leave yet. He drives around kind of aimlessly until he finds another kid to look out for.

This story is 49 pages long and is basically just a look into Liam's head. Liam has always been one to look out for other kids. This story kind of shows his internal battle between looking out for others and looking out for himself for a change.

It's really not a happy story, but it gives you an idea of what Liam did after The Darkest Minds. I loved it. Liam is my favorite character and I want to know more about him!!

Have you read any/all of the Darkest Minds novellas? If you haven't, I obviously HIGHLY recommend them.

If You Like The Darkest Minds, Try...

Hi everybody! Today I'm going to be doing a Like, Try, Why post!

Since this is my first Like, Try, Why post, obviously I have to talk about The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken. I mean, it is my favorite series ever and I can't pass up an opportunity to talk about it, right?! :)

I have also recently gotten more into anime. So I am coming at you with an anime recommendation for if you liked The Darkest Minds!

So here we go!!

Like The Darkest Minds?

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Goodreads

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something frightening enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that got her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that had killed most of America’s children, but she and the others emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they could not control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones. When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. She is on the run, desperate to find the only safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who have escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents. When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at having a life worth living.

Try Charlotte!

While on the surface Yuu Otosaka appears to be just another charming and intelligent teenager, he has a secret—he has the ability to slip into people's minds and fully control their body for five seconds at a time. Yuu has been using this skill for years to gain the highest grades, which allowed him to enter a prestigious high school.

When the enigmatic Nao Tomori catches Yuu using his power, she coerces him and his sister Ayumi into transferring to Hoshinoumi Academy, a school for students with supernatural abilities. The student council of the school, led by Nao, is tasked with secretly tracking down adolescents who abuse their powers. Yuu is forced to join the student council and together, they face formidable challenges that bring him closer to the shocking truth that his own, seemingly incomplete ability, might be more powerful than he could have ever imagined.

An original story from Jun Maeda, creator of Angel Beats and Clannad, Charlotte explores the supernatural lives of these teenagers and the price they must pay for being special.

Why?

Both stories have several things in common. 

-The kids in each world somehow end up with supernatural powers and they are not safe if they are discovered.

-They each focus on a small group of friends that are trying to help other kids in their own way.

I don't want to say a lot because I always say way too much. But I definitely agree with my sister that Charlotte gives off serious TDM vibes. Charlotte is such a good show and would be super easy to binge in one day. I think it was like 12 episodes.

If you read the series, watch the show, or do both, expect to have feels! You can find Charlotte on Hulu if you're interested!

Have you read The Darkest Minds? Seen Charlotte? Do you have any other recommendations for things similar to The Darkest Minds?

Bookish Aesthetics

Do you love seeing those bookish aesthetic threads on Twitter as much as I do? I think they're so creative and I love how they can capture the essence of a book without giving anything away. I had never really had too much of a desire to make my own, but the lack of The Darkest Minds aesthetics made me sad.

So fueled by that and all the pretty pictures I found when I blew the dust off my pinterest account, I have decided to make some for my favorite series. I'll probably make this a semi regular thing because I loved making these few!

THE DARKEST MINDS BY ALEXANDRA BRACKEN

THE RAVEN BOYS BY MAGGIE STIEFVATER

DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING BY TRICIA LEVENSELLER

What do you think of my bookish aesthetics? Do they do the books justice? Do they make you want to read them?

Review: In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken

In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds #3

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date: October 28th, 2014

Rating: 5 Stars

Source: Purchase

Format: Audiobook

Pages: 535

Add it on Goodreads!

Summary (from Goodreads):

Ruby can't look back. Fractured by an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government's attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. With them is a prisoner: Clancy Gray, son of the president, and one of the few people Ruby has encountered with abilities like hers. Only Ruby has any power over him, and just one slip could lead to Clancy wreaking havoc on their minds. 

They are armed only with a volatile secret: proof of a government conspiracy to cover up the real cause of IAAN, the disease that has killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others like her with powers the government will kill to keep contained. But internal strife may destroy their only chance to free the "rehabilitation camps" housing thousands of other Psi kids.

Meanwhile, reunited with Liam, the boy she would-and did-sacrifice everything for to keep alive, Ruby must face the painful repercussions of having tampered with his memories of her. She turns to Cole, his older brother, to provide the intense training she knows she will need to take down Gray and the government. But Cole has demons of his own, and one fatal mistake may be the spark that sets the world on fire.

In the Afterlight is an amazing ending to an amazing series. I can't even explain to you how much I love this series. This book has action, heartbreak, SUCH amazing characters and friendships, just everything!

Ruby has grown so much since the first book when she was scared of her own shadow. She continues to grow through this entire series to become someone so strong and willing to sacrifice everything for  those she cares about.

Liam is still super sweet. Ruby and Liam's relationship in this book is frustratingly complicated. They're still dealing with the repercussions of Ruby stealing Liam's memories and they don't seem to agree on anything, but their relationship is still so wonderful and cute.

Cole is infuriatingly bossy in this book. But he's also trying to make hard decisions for a group and keep them all safe. He seems to be unnecessarily mean to Liam throughout the book, but I think he just desperately needs Liam to stay safe.

I don't want to go on about all of the major characters in this book because I would be talking forever, but I kinda wanted to give my two cents on Cate. I have never liked her. Not in my first read of this series and still not in my reread. I appreciate that she cares so much about the kids and everything she does is to try and help them, but I really don't think she always goes about it in the best way.

I tried to talk about what I mean by this, but it just turned into a huge rant so I deleted it and you'll just have to read it and see what I mean. It is something that happens in the beginning of the book.

The rest of the characters are also amazing. Chubs is his same sassy self. Vida is still full of attitude, but you get to see a different side to her in this book. Clancy is still horrible.

The group's goal in this book is to escape from the destroyed remnants of Los Angeles and meet back up with Cate and the rest of her group at the ranch and then to come up with a plan for a camp hit to free the kids at Thurmond.

Okay. This is seriously a horrible review, but I just can't string words together to do this book or series justice. I've seriously been sitting on this review for weeks because I don't know what to say. I love it so much. At least my reviews for the first two books were coherent (as far as I remember).

This book is exciting. It has romance. It has action. It will make you cry (at least it made me cry). If you listen to the audio, I'm positive it'll make you cry. Ooh boy, I was listening to this while I was at work and I'm just so glad that the sad parts came while I was on my lunch break because I was just crying my eyes out in my car in the parking lot.

Overall, I can't think of a single book I would recommend more than I recommend this series. It's so amazing and I think about it on a daily basis because I love it so much. If you like dystopia/mild sci-fi, kids with powers, charming southern love interests, road trips, good books, you should definitely read this series!

Have you read this series? Have I convinced you that you need to read it? Do you love it so much?

Book Nerd Bites (#4) - The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Book Nerd Bites is an original monthly feature created by Becca, Cyra, Kristie, Natasha, and Valerie as part of the Book Blogger Creativity Project hosted by Nori. Each month we will be sharing exciting recipes inspired by some of our favorite books. Feel free to join in, but please make sure you link your post back to us so we can enjoy your favorite bookish delights as well!

Don't forgot to use #booknerdbites if you want to share your food inspiration with us on twitter or instagram!

For today's edition of Book Nerd Bites I will be featuring...

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Since I kind of have a Darkest Minds thing going on this month, I figured I had to try and include it for this feature as well! I recently did a reread of the whole series and in the first book, there is a scene around the campfire at East River where they are having chili for supper.

So for my post for the month, I'm going to share a recipe for chili that I just recently made! It was my first time making chili and I kind of just went through a bunch of recipes on pinterest and did a pick-and-choose thing to figure out what ingredients I wanted in my chili.

Ingredients:

-2 lbs of ground hamburger

-1 medium/large onion

-2 cloves of garlic

-1 (15) oz can of tomato sauce

-1 tsp garlic salt

-2 Tbsp chili powder

-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp pepper

-1 can Rotel

-2 (15) oz cans beans

(I used 1 dark red kidney bean and 1 light red kidney beans)

1-2 c. water or beef broth

Tips:

Don't drain the beans or the Rotel.

Regular pepper is probably optional, just because I forgot to add it when I made this.

I added like 1.5 cups of water and I feel like that was too much.

Instructions:

Brown the meat and crumble. Drain it if it's too greasy.

Cook onions and garlic until it's done. I don't know what point it's done at because I apparently didn't think that was important in my notes I wrote down.

Pour all of the ingredients into the crockpot.

Mix thoroughly.

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

The longer the better.

Top with cheddar cheese, sour cream, crackers, whatever you like.

I like an incredibly disgusting amount of cheddar cheese and crushed Fritos on my chili.

What do you like in your chili? Have I convinced you to read this book yet with all my posts this month? If I haven't, I might have to try harder in the future!

Review: Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds #2

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date: October 15th, 2013

Rating: 5 Stars

Source: Purchase

Format: Audiobook

Pages: 512

Add it on Goodreads!!

Summary (from Goodreads):

Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster. 

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her. 

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?

The Plot:

In Never Fade, Ruby is an active member of the Children's League. In the beginning we find her on a mission to recover a valuable League agent, despite the fact that there is a rule that if you get caught you're on your own. No one is coming to help you.

After recovering this agent, Ruby is given a special mission that takes her back to the other side of the country to find a flash drive with crucial information about IAAN on it. This flash drive is unknowingly in the hands of none other than Liam Stewart.

This information is vital for the kids in the Children's League because it will take things out of the hands of the agents who are trying to take over the League and REALLY don't appreciate the kids being involved.

The Characters:

I absolutely love the characters in this book. They are so well-written and amazing. Ruby goes through so much change since we last saw her in The Darkest Minds. She no longer fears her abilities and has so much more confidence. She seemed a lot more closed off in this book. But in all, she's independent, strong, and fiercely protective of those she's in charge of.

Vida and Jude are two of the kids on Ruby's team from the League. Jude is such a sweetie! He's chatty and lovable and kind of like an excited puppy. He doesn't like silence or the dark and I'm pretty sure that everything he does in this book is totally endearing.

Vida on the other hand, I had a rough time with. I thought that since I grew to like her in the series the first time I read it, I would like her better now. But I seriously hated her so much for about 3/4 of this book. She's mean and literally never has a single nice thing to say about anything except Cate and I just got so sick of her until most of the way through the book when she started warming up to Ruby more. She is actually a great character, but it was just SO hard to like her for a long time.

Since we last saw Chubs, things have changed a bit with him. He had to do some unpleasant things to make a place for himself in the world where he wasn't going to be hunted like an animal. He's still his same smart and kinda sassy self that we all love!

Liam hasn't really changed. He's still the same protective, sweet, naive boy as he was in the first book. But he has a really rough time in this book with sickness and the fact that Ruby wiped herself from his memory. This leaves him kind of confused because all Ruby could erase were his memories, not his feelings. Oh Liam, how I love you.

The Romance:

All in all, the romance did go where I wanted it to go. However, the journey to get there wasn't everything I could have hoped. But that is partially because I basically just wanted a book that was AAALLLLL Liam and Ruby all the time. But they have to fight to be together in this one a little bit. While there wasn't much romance in this book until closer to the end, I loved every bit that I got.

The Setting:

This book takes place all over the place. I think during the mission Ruby is on in the very beginning, they're in Pennsylvania? Then they're in California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado, and back to California.

One of the reasons I picked up The Darkest Minds was because of the road trip aspect. There is definitely still a road trip in this book, but I feel like the focus is less on the journey itself and more on what they're doing and where they're going.

What I Didn't Like:

I can't think of anything that I really have a problem with in this book. I don't really like Cate or the Children's League in general for some reason, but it doesn't really affect my feelings about the book. I don't know why I don't like Cate, but I didn't like her the first time I read the series either.

My main problem with the Children's League is that it separated my FAVORITE CHARACTERS EVER! But really I like that we got a more confident Ruby, Vida, and Jude out of the deal.

Overall:

I loved this book. I thought it was an amazing sequel. It's got tons of action, some wonderful new characters, and definitely some HEARTBREAAAAAK </3!! If you loved The Darkest Minds, you will need to read this one ASAP. It's got a lot more going on, it's got more road trips, it's got a badass Ruby. I highly recommend this series. To everyone.

Have you read this book/series? What did you think of it?